地神護法品第十一
Dharma-Protection From The Earth God

At that time, the Earth God Firm and Solid said to Buddha, “World Honored One, I have respected and worshipped limitless Bodhisattvas and Mahasattvas since a long time past. They all possess inconceivable divine power and wisdom to cultivate and help all beings. However, the vow of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, Mahasattva, is deeper and weightier than those of the other Bodhisattvas. World Honored One, this Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, has a close relationship with beings in the worlds.

如文殊、普賢、觀音、彌勒，亦化百千身形，度於六道，其願尚有畢竟。是地藏菩薩教化六道一切眾生，所發誓願劫數，如千百億恆河沙。

Even though Manjushri, Samantabhadra, Avalokiteshvara and Maitreya all have incarnated themselves into hundreds or thousands of forms to cultivate and help those beings in the six level, their vows will be completed one day. However, the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha cultivates and teaches all those beings in six level – the time Ksitigarbha made the great vow to now being hundreds, thousands and billions of aeons.

World Honored One, as I have observed, if those beings now and in the future find a clean place located in the south of their own house and use earth, stone, bamboo or wood to make a shrine, or make an image of Ksitigarbha out of gold, silver, copper or iron, or paint an image of Ksitigarbha and place it in the shrine, often burn incense in worship and respect, and salute or praise Ksitigarbha, then they can obtain the following ten benefits:

一者、土地豐壤
Their land will be very rich and fertile

二者、家宅永安
Their homes and families will be peaceful forever.

三者、先亡生天
Their ancestors will raised to heaven.

四者、現存益壽
They will enjoy longevity.

五者、所求遂意
They will fulfill their wishes.

六者、無水火災
They will escape floods or fires.

七者、虛耗辟除
They will escape anything that frightens or exhausts them.

八者、杜絕惡夢
They will have no further nightmares.

九者、出入神護
Their every step will be protected by gods.

十者、多遇聖因
They will have many opportunities to encounter the Dharma.

世尊，未來世中，及現在眾生，若能於所住處方面，作如是供養，得如是利益。」

World Honored One, if those beings now and in the future can make such offerings in their own houses, they can obtain these ten benefits.”

The Earth God Firm and Solid continued, “World Honored One, in the future, any good man or woman who can have this sutra and an image of Ksitigarbha in their homes, and who can recite this sutra and make an offering to the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, will be protected and guarded day and night by divine power. Even the risk of flood or fire, robbery, stealing and any evil thing will be eliminated.”

The Buddha instructed the Earth God Firm and Solid, “The divine power you possess is much greater than that of the other gods. Do you know why? The land in all the worlds is guarded by you. Even every blade of grass, tree, sand, stone, straw, hemp, bamboo, reed, rice or treasure from the ground, grows or is produced by your power. Your constant praise of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha makes your merits, virtues and divine power a thousand times greater than that of ordinary earth-gods’.

In the future worlds, if there is any good man or woman who can make offerings to Bodhisattva and recite this sutra to others, as long as he or she practices the rules according to the Ksitigarbha Sutra, you should protect this man or woman by your divine power. Do not allow any disaster or unpleasant thing go through his or her ears, and do not allow them to suffer. Not only will you protect this person yourself, but the retinues of Shakra, Brahma, and the gods of the heavens will also protect them.

何故得如是聖賢擁護，皆由瞻禮地藏形像，及轉讀是本願經故，自然畢竟出離苦海，證涅槃樂。以是之故，得大擁護。」

The reason why this person is protected by many gods is that he or she respects and worships Ksitigarbha’s image and recites this Vow Sutra. These people will removed from the ocean of suffering and will be proof of the bliss of Nirvana.”

May the merits and virtues accrued from this work adorn the Buddha’s Pure Land, repay the Four Kindness above and relieve the sufferings of those in the Three Realms below. May those who see, hear and read this sutra bring forth the Bodhi mind and live the teachings for the rest of this life, then be born together in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.